SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Michael Jackson dodged a lurid legal bullet yesterday when the judge in his child-molestation trial ruled that prosecutors could not present testimony that he once asked that a tub of Vaseline be brought to his room – and accepted the delivery while visibly aroused.

The King of Pop was allegedly hanging out with a young boy at the time the lubricant was delivered, a former Neverland security guard was set to testify.

He can, however, testify about spotting Jacko frolicking with the boy and giving him a piggyback ride while the youngster was wearing only a towel.

The child was allegedly the young boy whose family later sued Jackson and reached a large settlement with the singer.

Melville also handed Jacko’s defense another victory yesterday when he ruled that prosecutors could not put a domestic-violence expert on the stand to tell to jurors why the mother of Jacko’s current accuser was so erratic during her five days of testimony for the prosecution.

Deputy District Attorney Gordon Auchincloss hoped the expert could introduce the idea that the mother, Janet Jackson, who is no of relation to the defendant, was suffering from “battered-woman syndrome” when she testified in an unrelated case that she wasn’t beaten by her husband.

A week after winning a large settlement in that case, Janet Jackson flip-flopped and accused her husband of abusing her.

Auchincloss also hoped battered-woman syndrome could explain why she never reported Jacko’s alleged molestation of her son and confinement of him and her two other kids at Neverland Ranch.

Defense attorney Robert Sanger objected, saying Janet Jackson “lied and cheated her way though life.”

Melville created a dramatic moment in court when he sat silently pondering the issue on the bench for four full minutes – and then finally ruled against the prosecution.

Melville split another key evidentiary ruling yesterday by allowing a former Neverland security officer to testify for the prosecution next week.

But Melville will tell the jury that the witness is currently in jail on numerous robbery charges in Nevada, which helps the defense.